We’ve matured our Russian Imperial Stout in premium bourbon barrels for up to one year to create the perfect blend of flavors. Notes of oak, vanilla, and bourbon add another level of complexity to this beer’s already massive flavor profile of chocolate, Ryan Bros. Coffee, and roasted barley. Designed to be enjoyed now or aged in the bottle for years to come, this special release is truly a unique beer that is smooth as it is rare.

Bottle shared by Stefanje at Fordest house, thanks Stefen. Pours an oily black with almost no carbonation. Aroma of bourbon, wood, coffee. Flavor was coffee, bourbon, and molasses and were remarkablly mellow and smooth. Alcohol was well hidden.

2006 bottle shared at fordest’s tasting. Poured a viscous black with a tan head that had good retention. The aroma was of molasses, coffee, oak and whiskey. The flavor was similar to the nose with some smooth vanilla tossed in. This beer is remarkable due to the mellowness of the flavors; regular speedway is a ferocious tiger, but this is more of a laid back fat cat. As such, the first sip was a bit anti-climatic, but as I sipped it grew in complexity and character. Molasses, dates, mocha and bourbon. The mouthfeel was similar to he Westy 12. The finish was long with mellow whiskey. Overall: A great brew.

Bottle with Craig, Stella, Fin, Loz and Traci, at the "What’s This Label Supposed To Be Anyway?" tasting. Huge thanks to Craig for sharing this, and for holding on to this very special bottle until this tasting. (And a thanks to WeeHeavySD for parting with it.) Is was a privilege to be able to taste this, and even cooler to be able to try it side-by-side with the regular Speedway!

Deep black with just little shiny brown edges, modest layer of burnt tan fine bubbles. Bright fumey vanilla aroma, brown sugar, a fresh green oakiness. A little briney touch. Dark intense chocolate flavor with a nice pinch of salt. Rich mineral flavor on the back of the tongue, like oyster liqueur sans fishy flavor. Coconut sweetness. Very soft, the edges all seeming smoothed and polished by the cask time. A complete, unified experience of Imperial Stout. Compared to the regular Speedway: this has a nicer nose, but I miss the dramatic roasty bite.

bottle At Fins BIG thanks to WeeHeavySD for this one Had along side Caseys normal Bottle and for me the Normal was the better though neither blew me away ...Deep Deep black ... meaty roast malts light oak ... slightly sweet slightly salty ... lots of bourbon ... some vanilla ... bitterness in linger ... just didnt work for me... sweeter than the normal but vanilla tones are a bit high for me... REALLY glad to have shared this with two guys who enjoyed it more than me. I even think most of the Girls took to it better than me as well but since they dont rate they dont coun t:-)

Tasting with Casey, Traci, Craig, Stella and Loz 27-09-08 this bottle brought along by Craig, cheers Craig Pours black moving to gravy brown at the edges a mere scattering of brown bubbles in a sea of dark chocolate. Big bourbon thrust, too much at first but give this some air and it improves dramatically and the initial heavy handed strangulation tactic seemingly employed by the bourbon cask use starts to wane and this becomes a better stout altogether, though still not as good as the regular in my opinion. Good thrusty creaminess, vanilla, and lashings of chocolate infused with the fast retreating bourbon, its damn good!

Bottle courtesy of Sparky27...Eric is a great guy and is unbelievably generous to offer up this!!! This brew can’t get any darker...like a black hole, light can’t escape it. A beautiful milk chocolate head sits stubbornly atop this one and leaves solid lacing on the inside of the glass. The barrel definitely left its mark, most impressively, in the nose. Oak, vanilla, and subtle bourbon are delightfully infused into the rich Godiva and roasted Starbucks aroma normally present. Unfortunately, the alcohol isn’t as well hidden and, in fact, fights violently with the other flavors in this beer. With other brews, specifically Angel’s Share, the barrel-aging added to the complexity and enjoyment. This wasn’t the case here. Hot, woodsy, and good...but I’ll still take the one I can get daily!!! THANKS ERIC, for giving me a chance to try this!!!

Aroma was near perfection of the combination of rich high quality bourbon and the wonderful roastedness of a first class stout,taste did not quite measure up to that fantastic aroma, that wonderful bourbon was a little to dominating, and the malt roastedness came on as a little to one dimensional,didn’t the the various coffee and chcoclate flavors that I’ve had in other brews I’ve rated in the upper 4’s,still a brew I would go out of the way for

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